Respondent, an unidentified speaker at the meeting, said they support battery technology and innovation as an important function of the Department of Energy but added that they were "not familiar with the battery 500 consortium."

The exchange began when a questioner asked about potential cuts to projects including the Battery 500 Consortium and whether the respondent supported such activities. The questioner asked, "Do you believe in those kinds of activities?" The respondent replied, "I am not familiar with the battery 500 consortium."

Later in the discussion the respondent asked, "Is this at PNNL? Is" and was told that it was; the respondent then said they were aware of PNNL's work in grid and battery innovation and noted, "They've released a big report this week, in in both grids and battery innovation."

On whether the respondent supported investment in testbeds and grid-scale storage, the respondent said, "I I I support battery technology and innovation as a as a as a very important, function of the Department of Energy. Absolutely." The respondent also qualified that, as an outsider, "It's very difficult for me to speak about a specific program when I'm not in a position to evaluate, all of the demands on the department."

No formal actions, votes, or decisions were recorded in the transcript excerpt.